In this episode of Yalla, Let’s Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Lena Russovsky — Soviet-born Israeli journalist, KAN broadcaster, biotech researcher, and founder of “Russian Women Without a Sense of Humor,” one of Israel’s largest online communities with over 56,000 members — for a conversation about Russian aliyah, immigrant identity, and building a life in Israel.

Lena made aliyah from Moscow in 1991 at age nine, arriving just as the Soviet Union was collapsing. She grew up as part of the “1.5 generation” — Soviet-born children who immigrated young and came of age as Israelis — and has spent her career advocating for Russian-speaking olim, amplifying immigrant women’s voices, and building community across Israeli society.

Also in the episoide:

The Soviet Jewish immigration experience and what the 1991 aliyah wave was really like

Discrimination and harassment faced by Russian-speaking women in Israel

What the melting pot ideal got wrong — and why immigrant identity can’t be erased

Building a 56,000-member community from a moment of rage on national TV

The 1.5 generation: growing up between two cultures, two languages, two identities

Returning to Russia 20 years later and feeling nothing

Aliyah advice for Russian-speaking immigrants making the move today

What freedom really means when you grew up Jewish in the Soviet Union

This is a powerful conversation about immigration, identity, and the courage it takes to build a life among your people.

Subscribe for more conversations with people who live, work, build, and stay in Israel.

#LenaRussovsky #RussianAliyah #SovietJews #Israel #Aliyah #1point5Generation #RussianOlim #JewishImmigration #IsraeliSociety #IsraeliWomen #YallaLetsGo #LifeInIsrael #CommunityBuilding #JewishIdentity #FormerSovietUnion

KEY TOPICS 

0:00 – Intro

1:09 – Who Is Lena Russovsky: Russian Olah, Journalist, Activist, Community Builder

3:12 – Making Aliyah from the Soviet Union in 1991

4:58 – Arriving in Israel as the Soviet Union Collapsed

7:17 – How She Built a Career in Biotech, Broadcasting, and Activism

8:46 – Would She Be the Same Person If She’d Stayed in Russia?

9:50 – “Russian Women Without a Sense of Humor”: Why She Founded the Community

11:56 – Discrimination Against Russian-Speaking Immigrant Women in Israel

14:30 – Inside a 56,000-Member Community for Russian-Speaking Olim

15:35 – The 1.5 Generation and the Myth of the Israeli Melting Pot

18:49 – Growing Up Between Russia and Israel: The Immigrant Child Experience

20:34 – Did She Ever Consider Leaving Israel?

21:02 – Returning to Russia After 20 Years: What She Found

22:44 – What She Loves Most About Living in Israel

23:57 – Aliyah Advice for Russian-Speaking Immigrants

25:09 – At 80, Looking Back: Who She Became Because of Aliyah

25:49 – Rapid Fire: Hummus, Yalla & Hugging Strangers

RESOURCES

Follow Lena on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-russovsky-2131b2311/ 

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic, Yotam Kushnir

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg

Design: Nimrod Sapir

In this episode of Yalla, Let's Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Tamir Goodman — the Jewish Jordan, Division 1 basketball pioneer, author, and entrepreneur — for an honest conversation about faith, resilience, and what it really means to build a life in Israel.

Tamir shares his journey from Baltimore to the courts of Maccabi Tel Aviv: how he became the first Jewish athlete to earn a Division 1 scholarship while keeping Shabbat, what happened when an abusive coach shattered everything he'd worked for, and how he found his way back — first to basketball, then to Israel, and eventually to a new calling as an inventor and coach.

The conversation continues with:

Growing up with a Holocaust survivor grandmother who shaped his identity

Keeping Shabbat at the Division 1 level — and the teammates who said "Shabbat Shalom"

The assault that broke him, and how he rebuilt himself

Signing with Maccabi Tel Aviv and making aliyah

Inventing Zone 190 and Aviv Net — and getting into the NBA G League

Coaching thousands of kids and bringing the spiritual side to the sport

Why Israel is forever home — even with three kids in the army

This is a conversation about grit, faith, and finding the hidden blessing inside every challenge.

Subscribe for more conversations with people who live, work, build, and stay in Israel.

#TamirGoodman #JewishJordan #Israel #Aliyah #Basketball #Shabbat #Division1 #YallaLetsGo #JewishIdentity #MaccabiTelAviv #IsraeliSports #LifeInIsrael #Resilience #LoneSoldier

KEY TOPICS 

0:00 - Intro

0:50 - Meet Tamir Goodman: The Jewish Jordan

3:16 - From Baltimore to Jerusalem

3:44 - Why He Made Aliyah: A Grandmother, a Dream, and a Breaking Point

4:55 - Broken by a Coach: What Happened After His Freshman Year

5:23 - The Road Back: "God Invests in Everybody"

6:10 - The Maccabi Call and the One-Hour Tryout That Changed Everything

7:47 - Dyslexia as a Hidden Blessing

8:34 - From Injury to Invention: Creating Zone 190

9:46 - Aviv Net: An Anti-Microbial Basketball Net Born in COVID

10:45 - From Startups to Fabric: Powering NBA Events

10:53 - His Wife, His Mission, and the "Different Uniform" Moment

11:30 - Coaching Erica's Son — and Turning Injury Into Opportunity

12:30 - What Makes Him Never Give Up

14:38 - Was Shabbat Ever a Question? Not for a Second

16:29 - Bringing the Spiritual Side to Israeli Basketball

18:23 - His Dream Was Never the NBA — It Was Bigger

19:24 - Three Kids in the Army and Why Israel Is Still Forever Home

20:55 - What He Loves Most: The Authenticity of Life Here

21:09 - Aliyah Advice: Be Resilient

21:35 - Looking Back at 80: It All Started With Meeting His Wife

22:23 - Rapid Fire: Israeli Salad, Yihiyeh B'Seder & Maryland Falls

RESOURCES

Follow Tamir on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamir-goodman-1a231915/

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic, Yotam Kushnir

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg

Design: Nimrod Sapir

In this episode of Yalla, Let's Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Giovahnna "Gio" Ziegler - Brazilian olah, marketing leader in Israel's high-tech ecosystem, former contestant on Brazil's Next Top Model, best-selling author, and mother of two.

Gio shares her journey from Rio de Janeiro to Tel Aviv, why Aliyah was a philosophical certainty more than a logical decision, how she built a successful career in Israeli tech without speaking Hebrew, and what it's like to raise trilingual kids in a Yemeni-Brazilian household. She opens up about the LGBTQ community in Israel vs. Brazil, why she'll never go back, and why Israelis' refusal to apologize in the supermarket is actually genius.

The conversation continues with:

Growing up in a famous artistic family in Brazil - and rejecting it

Being the first openly gay contestant on Brazil's Next Top Model

Building a marketing career in Israeli tech from scratch

Starting (and quickly shutting down) her own agency

Raising kids in three languages in Tel Aviv

The LGBTQ community in Israel: openness, acceptance, and belonging

Why she feels Israeli - not Brazilian

This is a bold, funny, and deeply personal conversation about reinvention, belonging, and the life you build when you bet on yourself.

Subscribe for more conversations with people who live, work, build, and stay in Israel.

#GioZiegler #Israel #Aliyah #BrazilianOlah #IsraeliTech #LGBTQ #LifeInIsrael #YallaLetsGo #TelAviv #Marketing #JewishIdentity #NextTopModel

KEY TOPICS 

0:00 - Intro

0:49 - Meet Gio: From Rio to Tel Aviv

2:17 - Life Story in One Minute: Hippie Roots, Corporate Career, and Two Boys

2:44 - Why She Made Aliyah: A Philosophical Decision

3:53 - Not Another Boring Marketeer? Actually, Kind Of

5:20 - New York Times, South Africa, and Getting to Israel

6:57 - Growing Up in a Famous Artistic Family — And Rebelling

8:27 - Did Moving to Israel Mean a Career Setback?

8:55 - How She Cracked the Israeli Tech Market

10:13 - Starting Her Own Agency (And Why She's Shutting It Down)

11:19 - Brazil's Next Top Model: The Tyra Banks Contract, the NDA, and the Gay Twist

13:52 - From a House of Models to Her Wife Hofit

14:01 - Marrying Into a Yemeni Israeli Household

15:35 - IVF in Israel: What's Free, What's Not, and the Danish Donor

17:16 - The LGBTQ Community in Israel vs. Brazil

19:43 - Raising Trilingual Kids: Hebrew, Portuguese, and English

21:16 - Would She Ever Go Back to Brazil? Absolutely Not.

21:37 - What's Hard About Living in Israel (Lines. Just Lines.)

22:07 - Why She Loves Israelis: Unapologetic, Good-Hearted, and Consistent

23:18 - Advice for Anyone Considering Aliyah: Just Do It

24:07 - Rapid Fire: Israeli Salad, Kafkafim & the Haredi Kid

RESOURCES

Follow Gio on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovahnna/ 

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic, Yotam Kushnir

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg

Design: Nimrod Sapir

In this episode of Yalla, Let's Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Avi Mayer - founder of Jerusalem Journal and former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post - for a candid conversation about identity, belonging, journalism, and what it really means to choose Israel.

Avi shares his journey from New York to Jerusalem at age six, navigating the Gulf War, the Oslo years, and the Second Intifada, before returning to serve in the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. He opens up about leading the Jerusalem Post on October 7th, the fog of war in the newsroom, the mental health toll on journalists, and why he left to build something new. He also gets into why Jerusalem - not Tel Aviv - feels like home, the value of representing Israel on the world stage, and his honest take on whether aliyah is for everyone.

The conversation continues with:

Growing up in Israel during defining historical moments

Building a career telling Israel's story: IDF, Jewish Agency, AJC

Running a newsroom on the worst day in Israel's recent history

Launching Jerusalem Journal and what was missing in the media landscape

The tension and beauty of daily life in Israel

Practical advice for anyone considering aliyah

This is a rich conversation about purpose, press, and the pull of a place you can truly call your own.

Subscribe for more conversations with people who live, work, build, and stay in Israel.

#AviMayer #JerusalemJournal #JerusalemPost #Israel #Aliyah #October7 #IsraeliMedia #Journalism #JewishIdentity #YallaLetsGo #LifeInIsrael #IDF #IsraelStory #MakingAliyah

KEY TOPICS 

0:00 - Intro

0:50 - Meet Avi Mayer: The Journalist Who Chose to Tell Israel's Story

2:32 - From Great Neck to Jerusalem: A Life Built Between Two Worlds

3:45 - The Moment He Knew He Had to Come Back

4:38 - Growing Up Amid Terror: How Childhood in Israel Shaped Everything

6:05 - Finding His Purpose: Telling Israel's Story at Every Stage of His Career

7:00 - October 7th in the Newsroom: When Even the Best Sources Knew Nothing

8:11 - The Price Journalists Pay for Bearing Witness

9:30 - Fighting Disinformation with Good Journalism: Is It Enough?

11:23 -  Why Avi Left the Jerusalem Post to Build Something New

12:32 - Why Jerusalem Feels Like Home When Everywhere Else Doesn't

13:29 - One Foot in Israel, One Eye on the World

14:18 - What's Hard About Living Here (Even When You Love It)

15:47 - This Is Mine: On Belonging, Beauty & the Pull of Israel

17:11 - Come With Your Eyes Wide Open: Advice for Anyone Considering Aliyah

18:03 - Is Aliyah for Everyone? An Honest Answer

18:45 - "I Bound My Life With the Life of My People"

19:28 - Rapid Fire: Krembos, Gushpanka & Trader Joe's

RESOURCES

Follow Avi on X: https://x.com/avimayer 

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic 

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg

Design: Nimrod Sapir

In this episode of Yalla, Let’s Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Adeena Sussman, bestselling cookbook author of Sababa, Shabbat, and her newest book Zariz, for a conversation about food, identity, and building a life in Israel.

Adeena shares her journey from Palo Alto to New York’s food scene to Tel Aviv, why she made aliyah, and how Israeli culture - especially the shuk - transformed her career and cooking style. She opens up about writing cookbooks rooted in Israeli ingredients, adapting Middle Eastern flavors for a global audience, and creating simple, joyful recipes during complex times.

They also discuss life in Israel today, community, October 7th, and why she continues to double down on building her life here.

Also on the docket:

Making Aliyah and finding community in Israel

Life in Tel Aviv and the Carmel Market (shuk)

Israeli food culture and pantry staples

Tahini, harissa, and modern Middle Eastern cooking

Adeena’s new cookbook Zariz

Cooking during wartime and simplifying recipes

Career growth in Israel vs. New York

October 7 and supporting Israel globally

Advice for anyone considering moving to Israel

This is a conversation about food, culture, resilience, and creativity in Israel today.

Subscribe for more conversations with people who live, build, and create in Israel.

In this episode of Yalla, Let’s Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Aaron Bours, native New Yorker, lone soldier, IDF reservist, and CMO of health tech startup Hyro, for a deeply personal conversation about identity, duty, recovery, and belonging.

Aaron shares his journey from Great Neck, Long Island to Israel, why he joined Givati, how he built a career in Israeli tech, and what happened when he was called up on October 7 while in Las Vegas. He recounts his return to Israel, combat in Gaza, the moment he was shot in both legs while trying to save his officer, and the long road of surgeries, rehab, and returning to normal life.

Also on the docket:

making Aliyah and adapting to life in Israel

serving as a lone soldier

Israeli tech, networking, and career-building

October 7 and IDF reserve duty

combat injury, trauma, and recovery

honoring fallen soldiers

why Aaron feels even more rooted in Israel today

the beauty, bureaucracy, warmth, and complexity of living here

This is a powerful conversation about resilience, sacrifice, community, and what it truly means to build a life in Israel.

Subscribe for more conversations with people who live, work, build, and stay in Israel.

#AaronBours #Israel #Aliyah #IDF #LoneSoldier #October7 #Gaza #IsraeliTech #YallaLetsGo #JewishIdentity #Reservist #StartupLife #Hyro #LifeInIsrael #WarRecovery

KEY TOPICS 

00:00 - War Called Him Back

00:52 - Why We Still Choose Israel (Even Now)

02:58 - From NYC to IDF to Tech CMO

04:37 - The Career Move That Changed Everything

06:00 - October 7th: The Moment Everything Changed

07:03 - Inside Gaza: What Combat Really Looked Like

09:20 - Shot in Both Legs Saving His Commander

10:17 - The Hardest Part of Rehabilitation 

12:40 - Why Most Injured Soldiers Don’t Return to Work

14:35 - The Power of Community That Saved Aaron

15:06 - The Story of Omri

17:13 - Why Aaron Stayed After Almost Dying

18:56 - What Makes Israel Different

20:22 - Real Advice on Aliyah

21:39 - The Hardest Part of Living in Israel

23:20 - The Moment That Defined His Life

26:05 - The Most “Only in Israel” Story Ever

RESOURCES

Follow Aaron on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshprinceoftelaviv/ 

Follow Aaron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronbours/ 

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic 

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg

Design: Nimrod Sapir

Abbey and Erica record an unusual and very real episode of Yalla, Let’s Go! in the middle of the February 2026 war with Iran.

Between sirens, bomb shelters, and sleepless nights, they reflect on what it actually feels like to live through war in Israel not as a headline, but as everyday life.

They talk about the anxiety of parenting Israeli kids during missile attacks, the reality of running to shelters in the middle of the night, emergency missions to bring kids home, and the strange ways war reshapes daily routines (including taking the fastest showers of your life).

They also grapple with the bigger questions many Olim quietly ask themselves in moments like this:Why are we here?Why stay?What are we building for?

This is a candid conversation about fear, resilience, family, and the complicated love that keeps people here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate us 5 stars wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode of Yalla, Let’s Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Revital Moses: a leading voice in India-Israel cultural diplomacy, leveraging digital storytelling to bridge two of the world's most dynamic civilizations. As the creator of "Moses in Israel / Indian in Israel" a YouTube and social media project with millions of cumulative views. She has become a go-to commentator on the evolving India-Israel relationship, offering rare insider perspectives that combine Indian heritage with Israeli Jewish identity.

Born and raised in Mumbai, Revital never planned to live in Israel. She made Aliyah with her family just four days before the first COVID lockdown; heartbroken, frustrated, and unsure she would stay.

Fast forward six years.

Today, she’s built a YouTube community of nearly 90,000 subscribers, amplifying India–Israel relations, spotlighting the 80,000-strong Indian Jewish community in Israel, and creating representation where none existed before.

In this episode, we talk about:

Growing up Jewish in India - one of the only countries with virtually no antisemitism

Making Aliyah when it wasn’t your dream

Reinventing your career during COVID

Surviving a missile strike 50 meters from your home

Why Israel needs to stop only looking West and start looking East

Finding independence, identity, and maybe even love in Israel

This is a conversation about resilience, belonging, and what happens when you decide to stay, even when it’s hard.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate us 5 stars wherever you listen to podcasts.

KEY TOPICS 

00:00 – Intro

02:00 – “I never wanted to live in Israel”

04:00 – Making Aliyah four days before COVID

07:00 – Launching a YouTube channel & finding a voice

10:00 – The 80,000 Indian Jews in Israel

13:00 – Why Israel needs to look East

17:00 – The missile strike & choosing to stay

22:00 – Independence, identity & building a life here

25:00 – Bridging two ancient civilizations

27:00 – Rapid fire

RESOURCES

Follow Revital on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mosesinisrael/ 

Subscribe to Revital’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@indianinisrael 

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld, Myron Shneider

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic 

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring

Design: Rony Karadi

In this episode of Yalla, Let’s Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Aleeza Ben Shalom, a renowned relationship coach and matchmaker who shot to international fame as the star of Netflix’s Jewish Matchmaking. She is also the host of the “The Jewish Matchmaker” podcast on ILTV. To date, she has successfully helped over 250 people make their way down the aisle, and has trained over 450 matchmakers and coaches. Currently Aleeza alongside World Mizrachi has begun the Jewish Matchmaking Movement. 

Yalla, Let’s Go! explores what it really means to make Aliyah and build a life in Israel - the opportunities, the challenges, and everything in between. Each episode features candid conversations with Olim from diverse backgrounds. The podcast is produced by Aleph, the team behind Invested, Israel’s leading English-language business podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate us 5 stars wherever you listen to podcasts.

KEY TOPICS 

00:00 - Intro: Aleeza Ben Shalom Made 300+ Matches

02:25 - From Philly to Netflix

04:05 - Aliyah Was My Dating Filter

05:45 - Wait Too Long and You’ll Never Move

07:05 - Why Israel Wins at Love

08:15 - Why Olim Give Up and Leave

09:00 - The Kotel Moment That Changed Everything

10:40 - Why Aliyah Breaks (or Builds) You

12:45 - The 5-5-5 Rule That Ends Dating Confusion

13:55 - Why Not Touching Changes Everything

16:30 - Raising Kids in War Made Them Stronger

18:20 - Jewish Life vs. Jewish Convenience

20:55 - The Life Choice I’ll Never Regret

RESOURCES

Learn more about Aleeza at: https://marriagemindedmentor.com/ 

Follow Aleeza on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleezabenshalom/ 

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic 

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring

Design: Rony Karadi

In the very first episode of Yalla, Let’s Go!, Erica and Abbey sit down with Avi Lewis, who made Aliyah from Australia and now lives in Israel with his wife and four children. Avi is a software engineer at Meta’s Tel Aviv office and shares daily insights on LinkedIn through his “1 idea a day” series, helping people navigate Israel’s tech job market.

Yalla, Let’s Go! explores what it really means to make Aliyah and build a life in Israel - the opportunities, the challenges, and everything in between. Each episode features candid conversations with Olim from diverse backgrounds. The podcast is produced by Aleph, the team behind Invested, Israel’s leading English-language business podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate us 5 stars wherever you listen to podcasts.

KEY TOPICS 

00:00 - Intro

03:01 - From Australia to IDF to Meta

04:45 - The real reason Avi chose Israel at 16

05:56 - How Olim actually break into Israeli high-tech

07:14 - The Olim advantage Israeli employers don’t see

08:09 - How one LinkedIn post helped a reservist land a job

10:32 - The biggest lie Olim tell themselves before moving

12:53 - Do you need to be rich to make Aliyah work?

15:50 - Soft landing vs. hard landing: which one really works?

18:14 - Do you ever regret moving to Israel?

RESOURCES

Follow Avi Lewis on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avi-lewis/ 

Learn more about Goozali: https://goozali.com/ 

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yallaletsgopodcast/ 

Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

Follow Aleph on Twitter: https://x.com/aleph

‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

‍Follow Aleph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aleph.vc/

CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic 

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring

Design: Rony Karadi